Question

Atoms or ions are considered isoelectronic if

a. they have similar electron configurations

b. they have different number of electrons

c. they have the same number of protons

d. none of the choices

Answer 1

Isoelectronic atoms or ions share the same electron configuration, such as N³⁻ and Ne. They are a part of an isoelectronic series that includes elements or ions with identical numbers of electrons, size differences among them dictated by nuclear charge. The correct answer is option a. they have similar electron configurations

Step-by-step explanation:

Atoms or ions are considered isoelectronic if they have similar electron configurations. This term specifically refers to elements or ions sharing the same number of electrons and consequently the same ground-state electron configuration, despite possibly having different numbers of protons.

An example of an isoelectronic series is N³⁻, O²⁻, F⁻, Ne, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Al³⁺, which all have the electron configuration 1s²2s²2p⁶. When comparing isoelectronic ions, those with a greater nuclear charge (more protons) are typically smaller in size due to increased attraction of electrons to the nucleus.